(MENAFN) Moscow kicked off an international conference on Tuesday to commemorate the approaching 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, gathering historians from across the globe. The two-day event, held at the President Hotel, has attracted over 40 scholars from 25 countries, including the UK, France, Canada, Indonesia, Iran, and Serbia.

The conference is part of Russia’s broader preparations for its annual Victory Day celebrations on May 9, honoring the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany and the 26.6 million Soviet citizens who died during the war.

In a written message to attendees, Sergey Naryshkin, head of the Russian Historical Society and the country’s foreign intelligence service, emphasized the importance of safeguarding historical accuracy against efforts to distort WWII history for political ends. He highlighted the joint contributions of Soviet, Chinese, European resistance fighters, and the broader anti-Nazi coalition in achieving victory.

Aleksandr Chubaryan of the Russian Academy of Sciences noted the event’s goal of countering "historical amnesia" and reinforcing shared international memory of the war. Anatoly Torkunov, rector of MGIMO University, added that today’s shifting global dynamics call for a renewed evaluation of WWII’s political legacy, especially in relation to Western nations.

The Victory Day parade in Red Square is expected to welcome more than 20 foreign leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.

Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas recently advised candidate countries not to attend the Moscow celebrations, prompting criticism from Russian officials. Germany has also reportedly urged local institutions to avoid inviting Russian or Belarusian representatives to WWII commemorations, which Moscow condemned as deeply disrespectful to the memory of Soviet war casualties.

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